Amalgamator



(No Model.)

' N. D. BURLINGHAM.

AMALGAMATOR.

No. 247,535. Patented Sept. 27,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN D. BURLINGHAM, OF GARDEN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.

AMALGAMATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,535, dated September 27, 1881. Application filed July 5, 1881. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NATHAN D. BURLING- HAM, of Garden Valley, county of El Dorado, State of California, have invented an Improved Amalgam ator; and I hereby declare this to be a full, clear, and exact statement thereof.

My invention consists in the following construction and arrangement of an ore-amalgamator, and which will be hereinafter fully described, and the points of novelty set forth in the claims.

Suitable means are provided to prevent the mercury rising in the water-duct which opens into the mercury-bath, and which may be effected by hydrostatic pressure or other known way.

Open pipes or stirrers are oscillated in the mass of pulp within the tank, and streams of clear water are ejected from the lower ends of said pipes onto the surface of the mercury, so as to keep it free from slimes and dirt, and the pulp is at the same time stirred up. The peculiar shape of the tank gives the precious particles an opportunity to settle. The oscillating arms or pipes are operated by a waterwheel, which is run by the overflow of waste water from the tank. Copper plates are placed on the tan k-sluice, which extends from the tank, and also upon the blades or buckets of the wheel, so that all particles of quicksilver and gold are saved. Under the tank is placed a receptacle for any appropriate heating device, whereby the mercury may be kept at a proper temperature in cold weather. I These improvements will be more fully described in the course of the following specification, reference being at the same time made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my amalgamator. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section.

Let A represent the tank or box for containing the mercury and pulp. It has a groove, to, in its bottom, as shown, and a tube or feed box or channel, B, with a spout, c, extendingabove the top of the tank, leads the pulp-tailings or earth mingled with water into the tank. The lower opening ofthe feed-box is contracted into a comparatively narrow slit, (marked 11,) so that the material will enter in a thin sheet, and this opening is above the bottom of the groove to, as shown.

The quicksilver lies in the groove a, and reaches up in the tank some distance above the opening or slit 1) in the feed-box. The material, therefore, which comes into the tank through the feed-tube does not pass under the bottom of the mercury, but discharges into the body of said mercury, thus insuring the contact of every particle of gold with the quicksilver at a place where said quicksilver is sure to be free from all film, grease, or dirt.

By having the pulp forced in in a thin sheet, the result is better effected,for every particle is exposed to the action of the mercury. The interior of the tank or box is made circular, as shown, and the current of water and pulp passes around the circle on the opposite side from which it enters, the current then being thrown back to the center of the tank near the surface, where there is nearly dead-Water, thus giving any heavy particles which might have escaped the quicksilver-bath a chance to settle back upon the top of the quicksilver and be driven into it by the water coming from the oscillating pipes D, as now explained.

Upon the top sides of the box is a shaft, E, properly journaled. This shaft is hollow, and has, on one end an open connection with the water-supply. Extending from the shaft are hollow arms or pipes D. Being in open relation with said shaft .theirlower ends are open and extend downward within the tank nearly to the quicksilver-bath. Upon the other end of the shaft E is a crank, F, to which a connecting-rod, WV, is attached, the other end of which is attached to a crank, T, upon the water-wheel Gr, journaled in the forward end of the frame of the device.

In the top of the frame, extending from the tank A and opening upon the water-wheel Gr, is a sluice, H. The overflow of pulp and water from the tank passes over the sluice H and operates the water-wheel G, which oscillates the arms or pipes D within the tank.

Clear water is introduced through the hol- 10w shaft and pipes D, so that an accession of water is given to the pulp after it enters the tank. This water is discharged on top of the quicksilver, and as it is directed back and forth over the surface by the oscillation of the pipes D it sweeps or washes off the sluice film or dirt from the mercury, leaving it clean for any par- IOC ticles which may sink through the pulp. These particles are thus forced back into the bath and are properly amalgamated. The main part of the amalgamation, however, is accomplished in the quicksilver-bath when the pulp first enters the tank, as hereinbefore described. The entrance of this clear water also thins the pulp and washes the sluices, freeing and cleaning the heavy particles and driving them into the quicksilver. The minute globules of floured quicksilver are brought in contact with a clean surface within a superior body, thus compressing and flattening them, which breaks the film, when it will immediately unite with the main body.

The oscillating water-pipes act as agitators and stir the pulp up. The tailings overflow with the water, and passing down the sluice fall into the buckets of the water-wheel to oscillate the agitatingarms D. From the buckets the material is discharged.

Copper plates may be placed inside the tank or box and on the buckets of the wheel, it desired, and also on the sluice to catch any stray particles of mercury or amalgam. Under the tank A is formed a fire-box, P, having grate bars 0. The outlet for the fire-box is shown at Q. In this box I may place a coil ofsteampipes, or a stove, or build a fire upon the bars to keep the mercury free and lively during cold weather.

The device is intended to be placed at the last end of the sluices of quartz-mills. No power is required to run it. The waste water from the mill will do this. No care is necessary. It may be locked up by means of a suitable cover, and need not be touched for days at a time. The operation is automatic, and it will run when the mill runs. It may be cleaned up by removing a plug, J, on the side and removing the mercury, when the amalgam may be strained out.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an amalgamator having a curved tank, A, the bottom of which is a quicksilver-trough, and in combination therewith,the hollow openended arms D and hollow shaft E, said arms extending down within the tank to a point slightly above the trough, to eject water upon top of the quicksilver-bath, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

2. In an amalgamator having a tank, A, the bottom of which is a quicksilver-trough, and in combination therewith, the stirrer-arms I), the rocking shaft E, cranks F and T, connectin g-rod W, and water-wheel Gr, operated by the overflow of pulp and water from said tank, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

3. In an amalgamator, the combination of the curved tank A, with its transverse bottom groove, a, the feed box or channel 13, having a narrow or contracted opening, I), in relation with the side of the groove to, and the hollow open -ended oscillating arms D and hollow shaft E, said arms extending down to a line just above the quicksilver-bath, and adapted to eject water thereon, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

4.. In an amalgamator, the combination of the tank A, having the quicksilver-trough a, stirrers D, sluice 11, and water-wheel G, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

NATHAN D. BURLINGHAH.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoUnsE, WM. F. Boo'rH. 

